Systems and methods for computerized interactive training

• US 8,702,432 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Breakthrough Performancetech LLC
• Original Assignee: Breakthrough Performancetech LLC
• Inventors: Cohen, Martin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gishnock, Nikolai A
• Application Number:
  US12/058,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20080254424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,216 Days
• Field of Search: 434/322, 434/323, 434/350, 434/362
• US Class Current: 434/323
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/04 Speaking with audible presentation of the material to be studied G09B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/04 characterised by modifying the teaching programme in response to a wrong answer, e.g. repeating the question, supplying a further explanation
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/06 of the multiple-choice answer-type, i.e. where a given question is provided with a series of answers and a choice has to be made from the answers

Abstract

Interactive electronic training systems and methods are described herein. Certain embodiments provide preprogrammed video, audio, and/or textual presentations of training materials which provide information related to skills/information to be trained. A scenario including real or animated actors is presented, simulating an interaction. The training system presents related queries for the trainee who audibly responds. The training system stores a score based in part on a comparison of the trainee'"'"'s response with an answer stored in training system memory. Optionally, the scores are substantially immediately presented by the system to the trainee.

Claims

1. A method of computerized training using an interactive computerized training system, comprising:

presenting to a user a first presentation of a first speaker speaking using a first speaking style and a first script via the interactive computerized training system;

presenting to the user a second presentation of the first speaker speaking using a second speaking style and the first script via the interactive computerized training system so that the user can evaluate the effect of speaking style on a listener; and

causing at least in part the user to be queried as to whether the first speaker was more effective in the first presentation or the second presentation and why, wherein the user is to verbally respond and is not provided a choice of answers from which to select_L and

calculating and reporting by the computerized training system a score reflective, at least in part, of the user'"'"'s response to the query.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the user is instructed to verbally explain why the first speaker was more effective in the first presentation or the second presentation to a person in physical and audible proximity with the user, wherein the person scores the user'"'"'s response by comparing the user explanation with a preprogrammed answer presented by the system.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first presentation is randomly selected by the system from a set of presentations.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the appearance of the first speaker is the same in the first presentation and the second presentation.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the appearance of the first speaker in the first presentation differs from the appearance of the first speaker in the second presentation.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the clothing and/or hair style of the first speaker in the first presentation differs from that of the first speaker in the second presentation.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second speaking style is a more confident style than the second speaking style.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second speaking style is quicker than the second speaking style.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising asking the user to identify correct and incorrect speaking style technique implementations in the first and/or second presentations.

10. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising asking the user to identify appearance and/or grooming issues that detract from the verbal communication persuasiveness of the first speaker in the first and/or second presentation.

11. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising storing the user'"'"'s response to the query regarding whether the first speaker was more effective in the first presentation or the second presentation.

12. The method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising storing a score related to the user'"'"'s response to the query regarding whether the first speaker was more effective in the first presentation or the second presentation.

13. A method of computerized training, comprising:

presenting to a user a first presentation of a first speaker speaking using a first speaking style and a first script via a computerized training system;

presenting to the user a second presentation of the first speaker speaking using the first speaking style and a second script via the computerized training system, wherein the first script and the second script provide substantially the same information using at least in part different wording so that the user can evaluate the effect of wording on a listener; and

causing at least in part the user to be queried to verbally articulate;

whether the first speaker was more effective in the first presentation or the second presentation,

why the first speaker was more effective in the first presentation or the second presentation; and

calculating and reporting by the computerized training system a score reflective, at least in part, of the user'"'"'s response to the query.

14. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the user is instructed to verbally explain why the first speaker was more effective in the first presentation or the second presentation to a person in physical and audible proximity with the user, wherein the person scores the user'"'"'s response by comparing the user explanation with a preprogrammed answer presented by the system.

15. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the first presentation is randomly selected by the system from a set of presentations.

16. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the appearance of the first speaker is the same in the first presentation and the second presentation.

17. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the appearance of the first speaker in the first presentation differs from the appearance of the first speaker in the second presentation.

18. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the clothing and/or hair style of the first speaker in the first presentation differs from that of the first speaker in the second presentation.

19. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the first script and/or the second script include contradictions.

20. The method as defined in claim 13, wherein the first script and/or the second script include redundancies.

21. The method as defined in claim 13, the method further comprising asking the user to identify appearance and/or grooming issues that detract from the verbal communication persuasiveness of the first speaker in the first and/or second presentation.

22. The method as defined in claim 13, the method further comprising storing the user'"'"'s response to the query regarding whether the first speaker was more effective in the first presentation or the second presentation.

23. The method as defined in claim 13, the method further comprising storing a score related to the user'"'"'s response to the query regarding whether the first speaker was more effective in the first presentation or the second presentation.

24. A method of computerized training, comprising:

presenting to a user a first presentation of a first speaker speaking using a first speaking style and/or a first verbiage via a computerized training system;

presenting to a user a second presentation of a second speaker speaking using a second speaking style and/or a second verbiage via the computerized training system;

causing at least in part the user to be queried as to whether the first speaker or the second speaker was more effective and why;

storing the user response to the query in computer accessible memory; and

causing at least in part the user to be queried to verbally explain why the first speaker or the second speaker was more effective and

calculating and reporting by the computerized training system a score reflective, at least in part, of the user'"'"'s response to the query.

25. The method as defined in claim 24, wherein the user is instructed to verbally explain why the first speaker or second speaker was more effective to a person in physical and audible proximity with the user, wherein the person scores the user'"'"'s response by comparing the user explanation with an answer presented by the system.

26. The method as defined in claim 24, wherein the first presentation is randomly selected by the system from a set of presentations.

27. The method as defined in claim 24, wherein the first verbiage is the same as the second verbiage.

28. The method as defined in claim 24, wherein the first speaking style is the same as the second speaking style.

29. The method as defined in claim 24, wherein the appearance of the first speaker in the first presentation differs from the appearance of the second speaker in the second presentation.

30. The method as defined in claim 24, wherein the clothing and/or hair style of the first speaker in the first presentation differs from that of the second speaker in the second presentation.

31. The method as defined in claim 24, the method further comprising asking the user to identify appearance and/or grooming issues that detract from the verbal communication persuasiveness of the first speaker and/or the second speaker.

32. A method of computerized training, comprising:

causing at least in part a first presentation to a user of a first speaker speaking using a first speaking style, a first script, and having a first appearance via a computerized training system;

causing at least in part a first presentation to the user of the first speaker using a second speaking style, a second script, and/or a second appearance;

causing at least in part the user to be queried as to whether the first speaker was more effective in the first presentation or the second presentation and why, wherein the user is to verbally respond; and

calculating and reporting by the computerized training system a score reflective, at least in part, of the user'"'"'s response to the query.

33. The method as defined in claim 32, wherein the first presentation is randomly selected by the system from a set of presentations.

34. The method as defined in claim 32, wherein the first speaker in the second presentation has a different appearance and uses a different speaking style than in the first presentation.

35. The method as defined in claim 32, wherein the first speaker in the second presentation has a different appearance and uses a different script than in the first presentation, wherein the different script has substantially the same informational content as that in the first presentation.

36. The method as defined in claim 32, the method further comprising training the user in taking notes during at least a first training session, including training the user to prioritize what is to be noted regarding the first training session.

37. The method as defined in claim 32, the method further comprising providing a user interface including:

a first user input control enabling a command to be entered causing an entire presentation conversation to be played; and

a plurality of conversation segment controls enabling corresponding segments of the presentation conversation to be automatically located and selectively played.

38. An article of manufacture comprising:

program code stored in non-transitory, computer readable memory, that when executed by a computing system is configured to cause the computing system to perform operations comprising;

presenting to a user a first presentation of a first speaker speaking using a first speaking style and a first script via the interactive computerized training system;

presenting to the user a second presentation of the first speaker speaking using a second speaking style and the first script via the interactive computerized training system so that the user can evaluate the effect of speaking style on a listener;

causing at least in part the user to be queried as to whether the first speaker was more effective in the first presentation or the second presentation and why, wherein the user is to verbally respond and is not provided a choice of answers from which to select; and

calculating and reporting by the computerized training system a score reflective, at least in part, of the user'"'"'s response to the query.

39. An article of manufacture comprising:

program code stored in non-transitory computer readable memory, that when executed by a computing system is configured to cause the computing system to perform operations comprising;

presenting to a user a first presentation of a first speaker speaking using a first speaking style and a first script via a computerized training system;

presenting to the user a second presentation of the first speaker speaking using the first speaking style and a second script via the computerized training system, wherein the first script and the second script provide substantially the same information using at least in part different wording so that the user can evaluate the effect of wording on a listener; and

causing at least in part the user to be queried to verbally articulate;

whether the first speaker was more effective in the first presentation or the second presentation,

why the first speaker was more effective in the first presentation or the second presentation; and

calculating and reporting by the computerized training system a score reflective, at least in part, of the user'"'"'s response to the query.